R.I.P. Freddy ''Sez" Schuman, 1925-2010

Advance file photoYankee Stadium fixture Freddy "Freddy Sez" sometimes turned out to cheer the Baby Bombers. In this 2001 photo, Jim Tobin takes a turn at hitting the pan at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George.

He may not have been Bob Sheppard or George Steinbrenner.

But Freddy the Sign Man was beloved by Yankees Universe and his presence at The Stadium will be missed just the same.

Schuman died at Lenox Hill Hospital this afternoon after suffering a
heart attack on Friday night, according to espnNEWYORK.com. A hospital official confirmed Schuman's death, the report said.

If you're a diehard Yankee fan you know all about the Bronx-born Schuman, who was at just about every game, trying to rally the masses with a spoon and pan. He also carried a sign with some fortune cookie-like message of the day that began with "Freddy Sez."

If you're a Yankee die-hard, you've no doubt encountered Freddy and called him over to your seat -- just for a chance to bang the spoon on his ubiquitous frying pan with the painted shamrock.

My Yankee compadres, Brian Laline, Christopher Laline, Jack Furnari and Steve Zaffarano have had the honor of ringing the pan on numerous occasions over the years.

My daughter, Stella, and her friend, Lily Grace Randall, got a chance to ring the pan as toddlers when the girls accompanied myself and Lily's dad, Howard Siner to see Mike Mussina's Yankee debut against the Royals in 2001. For some reason, you remember those things.

Freddy started out as a fan who paid his way into games. But as prices escalated and his popularity grew, he actually was sponsored.

Of course, whenever the Yankees won the World Series, Freddy was present in the Canyon of Heroes and at City Hall.

And Schuman was such a New York character that he began turning up at events like the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

He also periodically appeared at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George in support of the Staten Island Yankees.

"He's about as close to a mascot as the Yanks ever had, aside from Brett Gardner," said Mike Frassinelli, a scribe for the Star-Ledger and a big-time Yankee fan, with affection.

Freddy's passing is the latest reminder that the Old Yankee Stadium is gone forever.

Staten Island Advance/Hilton FloresFreddy is one happy camper after a Yankees win at Shea in 1998..

Hopefully, he had a chance to witness Friday's epic comeback by his beloved Bronx Bombers.